Visa or residence permit? EU registration?
Bringing your family along?
- Accompanying family members should apply for a residence permit at the same time, even if they arrive in Finland later.
- If you intend to stay in Finland for one year or more with your family, you will need to register all your family members with the Finnish authorities. For this Civil Registration, you will need to present a certain number of official documents. These include at least your marriage certificate if you are married, and birth certificates for your children under 18 years old, and these certificates need to be legalized and possibly also translated. Start preparing them as soon as possible. You might also want to book an appointment at the Local Register Office already before coming to Finland.
- If relevant for you, also check the information about Day Care and Education and about Living and Working in Finland.
Two or more employers at the same time?
- If you are going to be employed by Åbo Akademi University, but are also simultaniously working for another employer in the EU/EEA member states or Switzerland, you should contact the authorities in your country of residence and apply for an A1 certificate.
- This certificate is needed by Åbo Akademi University well in time before you start your employment, for the payment of your salary and the statutory pension, unemployment benefit and social security contributions.
- The A1 certificate will indicate which country’s social insurance legislation will apply to you, and in which country your social security contributions should be paid.
- Also if you come from a country outside of the EU, do let us know of your other employments, as they might affect where the social security contributions should be paid to.
Insurance
- Consider a health insurance from your home country. A health insurance is essential upon arrival and when still settling in, before you are possibly entitled to public health care services in Finland. It is very important you have ensured the insurance coverage before leaving your home country.
- Special information for grant researchers
Housing
- Start looking for housing as soon as you know the date of your arrival.
